If you want to lose weight, gain muscle, reduce stress, increase energy or just generally look and feel healthier you’ve come to the right place. Oh, and you can win lots of cool Primal gear, too. That’s right, it’s the annual Primal Blueprint 30-Day Challenge!

The 30-Day Challenge Details

So what’s the challenge? To get Primal, of course! I hold this 30-Day Challenge every year to encourage Primal beginners to give this way of eating, moving and living a try because I know it works, I know how empowering it is, and I know it changes lives.

I also do it to motivate those that have been dabbling with the Primal lifestyle for a while, but haven’t fully committed or still have some room for improvement (myself included!), to go all in and resolve to finally tackle whatever it is they want to address in their lives.

The actual challenge itself is pretty straightforward. The details can be found in the image below. I recommend downloading the 30-Day Challenge flyer here, and clicking on the links to learn more about each of the topics. (And maybe print a few copies to hand out to friends!)

No sign-up required. Anyone can participate. Just commit to the challenge, and check back every day for motivation and guidance.

Above and beyond the challenge as outlined below, I encourage you to make your own personal challenges. Customize your goals to fit your needs and commit to 30 days starting now.

The Primal Leap – One-on-One Support

This 30-day challenge perfectly complements The Primal Leap. The Primal Leap is my effort to provide one-on-one support and step-by-step guidance to those looking to lose weight, take control of their health and get Primal for life. If you would like expert feedback and be told exactly what to do and when to do it The Primal Leap is for you. Learn more here.

Community Support

Create a journal to receive positive feedback, advice and help along the way from myself and the Mark’s Daily Apple community.

The 30-Day Challenge Contests FAQs

The main challenge itself isn’t competitive but that doesn’t mean we can’t have some friendly contests along they way!

Over the course of the next month Mark’s Daily Apple and sponsors will be giving away thousands of dollars in prizes.

Here are some rules and answers to FAQ:

There will be a new contests nearly every day for the duration of the 30-day challenge (through Oct. 11), so check back daily!

All contest prizes relate in some way to the Primal lifestyle. You won’t find any miracle weight loss pills, tummy crunching sling-a-ma-doo-dads, or whole wheat health blast jazzer snackers.

Some contests will require a bit of leg work while others will require something as simple as commenting on a blog post.

There is no limit to how many contests you can participate in.

The duration of any one contest depends on the nature of the contest. Some will last a few weeks (to give you time to complete the contest task) while others will be as short as one day. All deadlines are Pacific Standard Time.

Contest prizes will be awarded either by a random drawing, by reader voting/polling or by an executive decision (who I think should win!).

Some prizes will only be available to United States residents. If you live outside the U.S. and win a prize that can’t be shipped internationally an alternate prize of equal value will be awarded.

I’m not being paid by any company that is sponsoring the contest with a prize.

You want comments? We got comments:

Imagine you’re George Clooney. Take a moment to admire your grooming and wit. Okay, now imagine someone walks up to you and asks, “What’s your name?” You say, “I’m George Clooney.” Or maybe you say, “I’m the Clooninator!” You don’t say “I’m George of George Clooney Sells Movies Blog” and you certainly don’t say, “I’m Clooney Weight Loss Plan”. So while spam is technically meat, it ain’t anywhere near Primal. Please nickname yourself something your friends would call you.

Day 7. One week in and liking the results. More energy, discipline and slept well last night. Got some sunlight while reading today. Once Con Ed fixes the gas problem I’ll be cooking. Literally!

I’m just getting around to commenting – wanted to say that I am IN for the challenge. My goal is moving a lot more, and more joyfully. I am looking forward to a bike ride later today, maybe a little goofy boogaloo while making dinner, long walk&play with dog on the beach. Aspiring to lifting heavy things. This has been a year of health recovery, now I’m ready for the FUN of health! Thanks.

Day 8 (Monday) through Day 10 (Wednesday) less than 60 (!) grams carb. Still NO weight loss – at all – since I started the challenge last Monday. Feeling good, sleeping well, not hungry, lots of good food, but no weight loss. Whatever.

Well, for whatever reason…keeping to this goal of under 70 grams carbs isn’t doing what I want for weight loss.
I’m out of ideas here.
Anybody…any tweaks I can make to this to start weight loss again?
Listening to my body but it’s not listening to me (hehehe).

Thanks for your insight.
For the last week, only having one tbsp coconut oil plus my fish oil tablet for breakfast. No hunger until noon, then protein/veg (low, low carb!) lunch. That has worked fine for me, but again, no weight loss…puzzling.

Jackie wrote on September 25th, 2011

have you tried the “paleo” version of this rather than the “primal” version?

here it is:

Veggies
Meat
Nuts
Seeds
Berries
small amt of other fruits
little starch – so have sweet potatoes in moderation
no sugar

Thanks for your comment. The plan you outlined is what I’ve been following, except I have been eating 1 cup yogurt (0 fat greek style) and some cheese (never more than 3 ounces in one day, usually only 1 ounce, and not more than 4 times per week). I can try cutting out the cheese altogether, but I need to get my calcium from other sources in addition to Citrical, because I get leg cramps at night from low calcium/magnesium/potassium. Still trying to get minimum mag/potassium from foods, but not able to balance all the little requirements within the framework of the lifestyle. I haven’t had grains for months; in fact up until I started keeping carbs under 70 for this challenge, I was losing weight steadily at 0.5-1 pound per week. Go figure!

Jackie wrote on September 25th, 2011

I’m pretty sure the guidance said to not weigh yourself during the 30 day challenge. Plus, over the course of two days there are two many variables to account for when dealing with weight loss. Weekly weigh ins are best. Maybe you’re not losing weight, but staying the same weight and having fat turned into muscle.

Thanks for your reply. I’ve been doing the scale thing for months now, and it has just been so kind to me until lately. I agree, many variables. I’d love to say I’m getting more muscle, but I’m only walking and sometimes sprinting and since I’ve been doing that for months, also, I don’t think that’s it.
But thanks for your kind thoughts.

magnesium and calcium: get Peter Gillham’s Natural Calm – it is powdered Mg and Ca – take at night – about 2 teaspoons at bedtime -will help your cramps, help you sleep, and help regulate many other functions.

oh- only put it in with a shotglass size amount of water because it’s really sour

thanks for your information. I’ve located this product, and will be ordering it ASAP. Potassium is also in there, and every bit helps!

Jackie wrote on September 25th, 2011

I quit smoking and am craving sugar like mad.
I have all the energy in the world though! Getting things done, having energy after, and powering thorough my workouts. Thank you for starting me on this path to success.

What you have done with MDA is truly remarkable. I practice and preach the Primal laws with most of my friends & family and have enjoyed the freedom and liberation that I’ve got. Wanted to seek permission to post the above link and the transformation template on my blog. Please let me know if it is OK.

Day 12. Fried some nice fish, which was delish. Almonds and tea for late night snack. Yoga class was smooth and even pumped some iron for the first time in two weeks. Barefoot, sleep but no sunlight as it rained all day. Still going strong!

Day 13. Started very strong but a moment of weakness at the museum reception left me eating some bad snacks. However, before that was delicious leftover fish and the a sweet potato after a blistering Krav working, which included sprints and kettle bell swings. Will shoot for 7 day sugar free during this challenge. Haven’t weighed myself but the ‘beltbuckle’ is looser.

Day 14. Great day. Nutrition call which yielded new knowledge about sleep patterns. Now plan to go earlier (duh) but also to ‘go analog’ one hour before. Heavy training day, sprints, jumps and contact in Krav Maga class. Followed up with sweet potato, fish and veggies. Feel very strong and positive. Oh yes, checked the scale first time in days and am happy.

Day 16. Still going strong. Full contact Krav class, with heavy emphasis on kicking. Sausage and peppers for dinner. Lots of energy and satiety. Halfway there as far as the challenge goes, but this is a way of life I’m proud of.

Day 17. Mellow day as far as activities. Recovered from heavy workout. 30 minutes in sauna followed by 10 minutes in pool. Finished the sausage and pepper and mixed salad from yesterday and still liked the taste. Got soaked in the rain but didn’t bother me. Still happy with the challenge.

The Primal Blueprint Podcast

Interviews with Mark Sisson and other health experts. Audio versions of select Mark’s Daily Apple posts each week. “Best of MDA” recordings. Fresh, lively content to help you stay at the cutting edge of Primal living!